Letters to the editor

The pension predicament

Re "Benefits for retirees squeezing the state," June 2

George Skelton's column about public employee pensions conflates two issues, public employee pensions and healthcare for public employee retirees. Contrary to the claims of Keith Richman, there is no crisis in the funding of public employee pension obligations.

Many California public employee pension funds are 100% funded or close to 100% funded. The state pension funds (CalPERS and CalSTRS) are among the strongest in the world. In fact, 75 cents of every dollar paid out in pensions to state workers comes from the interest on CalPERS investments. Of the remaining 25 cents, more than half comes from employee contributions. Less than 12 cents on the dollar comes from the taxpayers.

There is a problem with the funding of retiree healthcare. In the past, these benefits have been paid for out of current revenues rather than having been prefunded like pensions. That error is being corrected and in the future, taxpayer obligations for this expense should be reduced substantially.

The problem that the public should be outraged about is not public pensions, but the disappearance of retirement security for workers in the private sector.

Mark H. Shapiro

Fullerton

Kudos to Gerald Parsky, former chairman of the UC Board of Regents, for recognizing the trade-off in enhanced benefits in lieu of higher salaries. Many public employees have dedicated over 30 years of their careers, at reduced salaries, to serving the public. Many have advanced degrees. They chose public service over the plush offices and higher salaries in corporate America.

State retirement benefits, partly funded by state employees, are a small price to pay for their knowledge and experience.

David Malkin

Rowland Heights

The writer is a retired employee of the state of California.

Dividing the water

Re "Time to sacrifice," editorial, June 2

It is easy to say that all interests in our state must share the pain of making do with less water as we work to survive an ever-increasing demand for what is now a limited supply. In fact, because of the nature of agricultural water deliveries, farmers almost always receive the first cuts when water supplies are low.

The majority of agricultural acreage had already experienced at least a 30% cut when the governor announced his plan to reduce water consumption by 20% over the next 12 years. Farmers on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley have been living with an average 35% cut in water deliveries since 1991.

How much more can California's agricultural industry bear and still be able to provide Californians with the high-quality, locally grown produce they cherish?

Mike Wade

Executive Director

California Farm

Water Coalition

Sacramento

The problem with AB 2175 is that it sets less stringent standards for agricultural users. We need a state program that would assist farmers financially as they line canals and irrigation ditches and switch to drip-system water lines. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger must include farmers in the bill and should provide them with financial assistance to cut their usage.

Paul Carlton

San Clemente

Who can question your editorial urging everyone in the state to share the pain of conserving water?

But you forgot to mention the delta smelt, for the preservation of which a judge has ruled that we must set aside whatever water is necessary.

Will the fish be asked to share in the pain?

Arthur O. Armstrong

Manhattan Beach

These fines are all wet

Re "Panel delays vote on water wasters," June 4

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's vote to double the fines for those who violate city water laws will not save water. Some of these laws have been around for 16 years but not enforced. Think of the so-called ban on leaf blowers that has done nothing to reduce their smog and noise. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced a drought-buster team a few months ago that went no further than the news conference.

Instead, increased attention to the water-pricing plan could discourage wasteful water use indoors and outdoors. It would only require existing meter readers -- not hiring more inspectors driving SUVs issuing notices to customers.

If anyone should be fined for wasting water, it is the city of Los Angeles for wasting millions of gallons of reclaimed water every day. The Times reported last November that this amount is dumped in the Los Angeles River instead of being used to replenish aquifers as originally intended.

Roy W. Rising

Valley Village

Holes in the balloon argument

Re "What's helium-filled, foil -- and harmless?" Opinion, June 2

The very day that I read Terri Adishian's commentary complaining that state Senate Bill 1499's proposed ban on metallic balloons isn't justified, I also read the Glendale Water & Power's outage report for May, which lists two separate incidents, each affecting more than 500 customers, that were caused by contact between foil balloons and overhead wires.

The harm done by these balloons is real, and SB 1499 is a reasonable measure to protect the reliability of the electric service on which Californians depend.

William Hooper

Glendale

If there ever was a bag of hot, helium-filled air, Adishian's self-serving Op-Ed article to save the balloons is it. Adishian is apparently unaware of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a result of the same litter-as-you-go mind-set she exhibits.

Closer to home, you only need to sail the San Pedro Bay to see the floating results of yesterday's birthday party. It is pitiable that those who promote the desecration of our land and seas for the almighty buck have the gall to make light of it.

William K. Solberg

Los Angeles

Angry in Ireland

Re "Some Irish have doubts on European treaty," June 1

The World Trade Organization talks last month are indeed relevant to the Lisbon Treaty: The European Commission has confirmed that Ireland's right to veto the WTO agreement (a crucial tool in the government's armory) will be abolished under Lisbon.

Under Lisbon, national parliaments will have an enshrined right to complain -- nothing more. On the other hand, the new European Union would have the power to make laws in 32 new areas that would be removed from national parliaments; power would shift to the big states and away from the smaller ones; Ireland would have no say on the European Commission (which has the monopoly on making EU laws) for five years out of every 15, and we would be committed to increased military spending (for what, exactly?) and a mutual defense pact reminiscent of NATO.

I and many others are getting fed up with everything good in Europe always being attributed to our willingness to abdicate sovereignty when ordered by men in suits.

The horror of Mexico's drug war should alert users of marijuana, cocaine and heroin in the U.S. to this stark reality: By supporting Mexican drug lords through their continued drug purchases, they have at least some complicity in these deaths.

It is coincidental, if not somewhat ironic, that the number of our troops who have died in Iraq about equals the total who have been killed in the recent drug battles south of the border.

John N. Heil

Los Angeles

If 4,000 people killed is a sign of progress in the "war on some drugs," then what would indicate failure?

Clifford A. Schaffer

Agua Dulce

Fueling change

Re "Drivers' pain has suddenly become agony," June 3

Despite the recent climb in gasoline prices, we are still enjoying affordable petrol relative to other industrial- ized nations. So rather than "only thinking of politics in terms of who will get me lower gas prices," we should seek out candidates who understand that we must go exactly the other way and pursue a course that will guarantee a high price of gasoline.

We need to ensure that these sea changes (taking mass transit, working from home and demanding fuel-efficient vehicles) become commonplace rather than transitory.

David Alpern

Long Beach

Horse sense

Re "Wild horses aren't free," Opinion, June 2

As a nation that supposedly reveres the pioneer spirit, shouldn't we show more respect for those that conquered this country before you and I were here? The beef industry is already sucking up water supplies and destroying soil.

Wild horses ask nothing more than to be left alone. Let's not destroy a great part of this land's heritage for the greed of a few cattle ranchers.

Tim I. Martin

Corona

A lightweight idea

Re "Dying to ride," editorial, May 31

Anyone who's known me for more than a minute knows I prefer animals to people, but the editorial about self-starving jockeys did not "excite compassion" in me. Not, as The Times muses, because the jockeys aren't pretty like fashion models but because, unlike the helpless animals they scream at and whip, they have a choice.

My guess is that given a choice, the horses would prefer to run around without a fool of any weight on their backs. What a pointless editorial that insults those with true eating disorders.